1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image forming apparatuses, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system having an image editing function editing data of a read original image.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotography copying apparatus is provided carrying out processings in an Nin1 mode in which a plurality of original images are copied on a papersheet. In this mode, it is necessary to set a plurality of original images with their top and bottom directions and directions in which sentences run matched on a papersheet. A so-called 2in1 mode is conventionally known. In the 2in1 mode, using an automatic original feeder (ADF) of an analog copying apparatus, two originals placed on a platen glass are fed and stopped, and images of the two originals are simultaneously exposed to be copied on a papersheet. In the 2in1 mode, irrespective of top and bottom directions and directions in which sentences run of originals, the original are copied according to the order of the originals set on an original tray of the ADF.
Therefore, the operator must set originals on the original tray after confirmation of top and bottom directions and directions in which sentences run of the originals.
On the other hand, recently, various digital copying apparatuses have been developed. The digital copying apparatus optically reads out an original image to generate image data. The digital apparatus applies various corrections and processings to the image data to provide the same as printing data. The digital copying apparatus emits the printing data from an image printing head as light beams to form an image on a photoreceptor. In the digital copying apparatus of this kind, editing such as rearrangement and rotation of digitalized image data can be carried out. The digital copying apparatus can carry out processing not only in the 2in1 mode but also in a 4in1 mode.
However, currently the digital copying apparatus does not include an image forming apparatus having a function of automatically rearranging a plurality of read original images so that they can be printed on one papersheet with their directions uniform.